A recently report has analyzed on-the-job fatalities in Texas. Nationally, there are about 5,000 work-related fatalities per year, about 500 of which involve workers in Texas.
The data show that transportation incidents are the leading cause of about 45% of Texas work fatalities. Assault and violent acts account for nearly 20% of deaths on the job. Fires, explosions (such as the recent explosion in the gulf that caused the Gulf Oil Spill), exposure to harmful substances, electrocution, and exposure to caustic or noxious substances are also major causes of work related deaths in Texas.
More motor vehicle workers are involved in fatal accidents than any other worker, and most of those fatalities were due to transportation incidents. Construction workers are also frequently killed on the job. Approximately 94% of work fatalities are men, while only 6% are women.
